Bacterial chemotaxis in a microfluidic T-maze reveals strong phenotypic heterogeneity in chemotactic sensitivity

Nat Commun. 2019 Apr 23;10(1):1877. doi: 10.1038/s41467-019-09521-2.

Abstract

Many microorganisms have evolved chemotactic strategies to exploit the microscale heterogeneity that frequently characterizes microbial habitats. Chemotaxis has been primarily studied as an average characteristic of a population, with little regard for variability among individuals. Here, we adopt a classic tool from animal ecology - the T-maze - and implement it at the microscale by using microfluidics to expose bacteria to a sequence of decisions, each consisting of migration up or down a chemical gradient. Single-cell observations of clonal Escherichia coli in the maze, coupled with a mathematical model, reveal that strong heterogeneity in the chemotactic sensitivity coefficient exists even within clonal populations of bacteria. A comparison of different potential sources of heterogeneity reveals that heterogeneity in the T-maze originates primarily from the chemotactic sensitivity coefficient, arising from a distribution of pathway gains. This heterogeneity may have a functional role, for example in the context of migratory bet-hedging strategies.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Chemotaxis / genetics*
  • Dimethylpolysiloxanes / chemistry
  • Escherichia coli / physiology*
  • Intravital Microscopy / methods
  • Microfluidic Analytical Techniques / methods
  • Microscopy, Phase-Contrast / methods
  • Models, Biological*
  • Phenotype*
  • Single-Cell Analysis / methods

Substances

  • Dimethylpolysiloxanes
  • baysilon